Rotary engine.



No. 7|3,44s. Patent@ Nov. n, |902.

F. c. JEWELL.

ROTARY ENGINE.

(Application Bled Dec. 17, 1901.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet w/TNESSES ru: cams Pzrcns co, Pauraumu.WASHINGTON. n, c,

Patented Nov. I|,'I902. F. C. JEWELL.

ROTARY ENGINE.

(Applicstion lsd Dec. 17, 1901.)

2 Sheets--Shetvzl (No Model.)

/N VENTO/ 23u/zi: @Jewell A Tra/MIE W/ TNE SSE S UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

FRANK CHARLES JEWELL, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

ROTARY ENGlNE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 713,443, dated November11, 1902 Application filed December 17,1901. Serial No. 86,206. (Nomodel.)

T @ZZ whom, it 17u07/ concern:

Be it known that 1, FRANK CHARLES JEW- ELL, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Seattle, in the county of King and State ofWashington, have invented a new and Improved Rotary Engine, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and eXact description.

This invention relates to a rotary engine having two intermeshingpistons operating in connection with certain peculiar devices forcontrolling the supply and admission of steam, as will be fullydescribed hereinafter.

This specication is a specific description of one form of the invention,while the claims are definitions of the actual scope thereof.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is an end view of the invention. Fig. 2 is a section'thereof onthe line 2 2 of Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of one of the peripheralpacking-plates for the piston; and Fig. 5 is a detail perspective viewof one of the pistons, showing the packing removed.

The engine has an exterior casing 10, with side lugs 11 for mounting iton the bed, which may be of any suitable form. Mounted in the casing aretwo parallel shafts 12, respectively, carrying the pistons 14. Thesepistons comprise hub or body portions with sectorlike wings 15, theouter peripheries of which are curved concentrically to the shafts 12.The pistons are arranged so that their portions 15 interrnesh during therotation of the pistons, and the pistons are located, respectively, incircular chambers 16, formed in the casing 10,these chambers communicating with each other, so as to allow the proper coaction of thepistons. The interior walls of the charnbers 16, against which theperipheries of the pistons work, are formed with transverse ribs 17,which are engaged by the working surfaces of the pistons to theexclusion of the other portions of the chamber-walls. This reduces thefriction incident to the movement of the pis- 5o tons, since it reducesthe surface with which the pistons contact. The pistons are providedwith peripheral packing-plates 18,(best shown in Fig. 4,) which haveinwardly-extending radial portions 19. tted in grooves 2O in thepistons. (See Fig. 5.) The pistons also have side packing-plates 21,(see Fig. 3,) which t in side grooves 22 in the pistons. (See Fig. 5.)

23 indicates springs which are mounted in transverse passages in theperipheral packing-plates 18 and which press the side packing-plates 21into operative position. The radial parts 19 of the packing-plates 18have pins 24, which fit in orices in the side packing-plates 21, so asto hold these parts together. It will be observed that by these devicesthe pistons are packed against the walls of the chambers 16, and leakageot' steam is prevented. As shown in Fig. 3, the shafts 12 of the twopistons are connected together by gears 25, and 26 indicates a pulleyfrom which the motive power of the engine may be taken.

The casing 10, as best shown in Fig. 2, is formed with steam-feedpassages 27 at each side, these passages leading from the top of thecasing down around the sides of the upper chamber 16. Around the sidesof the lower chamber 16 steam-exhaust passages 28 are formed, similar tothe passages 27.

29 indicates the steam-supply pipe, and 30 the throttle-valve, which islocated at the juncture of the two passages 27 at the upper part of thecasing 10. This valve may be thrown to cut off the steam from bothpassages or to throw the steam into one passage to the exclusion of theother.

In Figs. 1 and 3, 31 indicates a handle for operating the valve 30. 32indicates the eX- haust-pipe, leading from the juncture of the twopassages 2S at the bottom of the casing 10. The feed-passages 27 andexhaust-passages 2S at each side of the casing 10 are separated fromeach other by oscillatory valves 33, which are mounted transversely inthe casing 10 at the vertical middle thereof, one at each side. Thesevalves are adapted to be operated in unison by means of arms 34,connected by a link 35. (See Fig. 1.) The valves 33 are of such form andarrangement that they may be thrown to cause the steam to enter thepiston-chambers at one side or the other of the casing, thus driving theengine in one direction or the other. As shown in Fig. 2, the left-handvalve is open and the right-hand valve is closed. This causes the steamto pass down the left-hand port 27 and act against the left-hand sidesof the pistons, thus turning them in the direction of the arrows. Theexhaust-steam passes out by way of the right-hand valve 33, which isthrown to connect the piston-chambers with the righthand exhaust-passage28.

At the bottom of the lower chamber 16, just above the exhaust-passage32, is formed a port 36, which establishes direct communication betweenthis lower chamber 16 and the exhaust. The purpose of this port is topermit the passage of the steam from the lower chamber 16 directly intothe exhaust-port. At the period of exhaust the steam from the upperchamber 16 will pass by way of the valve 33,Which is connected with theexhaust, (in Fig. 2 the right-hand valve.) When the lower piston opensthe port 36, the major portion of the steam in the lower chamber 16 willthen pass out into the exhaust. This effects a thorough exhaust andgreatly relieves the exhaust-ports proper. It also relieves the volumeof steam in the working exhaust-passage 28, which has the result offacilitating the entire exhaust of the upper chamber 16.

Assuming the parts to be in the position shown in Fig. 2 and the pistonmoving in the direction of the arrows, the steam passing by way of theleft-hand valve 33 will act on the pistons to continue their movement,the passage of the steam through the engine being continuous and theparts running when underproperpressure at a relatively high speed. Theengine may be made single or compound, as will be obvious to personsskilled in the art. The drawings show the single form of the engine. Oneof the arms 34 is extended to form a handle, and by throwing this handlefrom one position to another the engine may be quickly reversed, whileit may be started or stopped at will by manipulation of the valve 30.

Various changes in the form and details of my invention may be resortedto at will without departing from the spirit of my invention. Hencelconsider myself entitled to all forms of the invention as may lie Withinthe intent of my claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. A rotary engine, having a casing with twocommunicating chambers formed therein, interengaged rotary pistonsmounted respectively in the chambers, the casing also having steam-feedpassages extending from the top down opposite sides thereof andsteamexhaust passages extending from the feedpassages down oppositesides of the casing to the bottom thereof, said feed and exhaustpassages communicating with the casing intermediate its ends, and thelower chamber of the casing having a relief-port directly adjacent tothe juncture of said exhaust-passages, and valves mounted at the`junctions of the feed and exhaust passages to control the passage ofsteam to and from the pistonchambers.

2. A rotary engine, having a casing with two communicatingpiston-chambers therein, said casing also having exhaust-passagesextending from the juncture of the piston-chambers down opposite sidesof the casing to the bottom thereof, valves commanding saidexhaustpassages, and interengaged pistons working respectively in thepiston-chambers, the casing further having a relief-portY extending fromthe lower piston-chamber into the exhaust-passages at the juncturethereof.

3. A rotary engine, having a casing with two com municating chambersformed therein, interengaged rotary pistons mounted respectively in thechambers, the casing also having steam-feed passages extending from thetop down opposite sides thereof, and steamexhaust passages extendingfrom the feedpassages down opposite sides of the casing to the bottomthereof, said feed and exhaust passages communicating with the casingintermediate its ends and the lower chamber of the case having arelief-port communicating with the exhaust-passages, and valves mountedat the junctions of the feed and exhaust passages, for the purposespecified.

4. A rotary engine having a cylinder and a piston, and a piston-packingcomprising a peripheral packing-plate lying over the working face of thepiston and adapted to run against the walls of the cylinder, a radialpart attached to said peripheral plate and fitted in the piston, sidepacking-plates lying against the sides of the piston respectivelyadjacent to the ends of the peripheral packing-plate, the said radialportion having grooves in the ends thereof and the side packing-platesextending into said grooves, and a spring tted in the said radialportion of the packing and pressing the side plates outward.

5. A rotary engine,comprisinga casing with two communicatingpiston-chambers therein, the casing also having feed-passages in itswalls, such passages extending from the top of the casing down oppositesides thereof and communicating with the piston-chambers at pointsdirectly adjacent to the junction of said chambers, the casing alsohaving exhaust-passages within its walls, the exhaustpassages extendingfrom the lower ends of the feed-passages down opposite sides of thecasing to the bottom thereof, valves located in walls of the casing atthe junctions of the feed and exhaust passages at each side of thecasing to control the admission and emission of steam, a throttle-valvelocated in the walls IOO IIO

of the easing at the top thereof and at the name to this Specificationin the presence of juncture of the feed-passages, said valve tWosubscribing Witnesses. commanding the steam communication with onefeed-passage or the other, and interen- I FRANK CHARLES JEWELL' 5 gagedpistons mounted respectively in the Witnesses:

piston-chambers. JAS. E. MCGREW,

1n testimony whereof I have signed my PHIL. WAHL.

